The present invention is directed to decorative light sets, and more particularly, to decorative light sets useful in the decoration of Christmas trees and the like. Traditional decorative lights for Christmas trees, both for indoor and outdoor use, typically consist of a pair of electrical wires carrying a plurality of series or parallel connected lights, which may be strung through the branches of indoor or outdoor Christmas trees. Typically, these light sets are designed to be connected in series with one another, or multiple light sets may be used on a single tree. This requires the use of multiple extension cords and connections to an electric light source. The stringing of such a light set through a tree is a somewhat time consuming and tedious procedure, both in the initial installation and in the subsequent removal of the light set when the tree is to be taken down, or the decorations are to be removed.
The United States patent to Woolford U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,559 is directed to an electric Christmas tree, the trunk of which is in the form of an elongated hollow post having electrical connectors extending through it and terminating at a plurality of points along its length in electrical sockets. This allows different strings of lights to be plugged into the xe2x80x9ctrunkxe2x80x9d of the tree, from which artificial branches are extended. The design of this patent eliminates the necessity for stringing extension cords and multiple connectors between the tree and nearby wall outlets. Only a single wall outlet is required with the structure of this tree The structure of Woolford, however, still requires individual stringing of the lights on the branches of the artificial Christmas tree of which it is a part.
The advent of fiber optic strands has resulted in a large number of ideas for utilizing a single light source typically located at the base of a tree to illuminate one end of a bundle of optic fibers, the other ends of which are distributed in various manners to the branches of artificial Christmas trees. A large number of patents are directed the formation of an artificial Christmas tree with a hollow trunk, through which optical fibers extend to a termination point near or at the base of the trunk. A light source is provided for illuminating this end of the optical fibers. Then, at various points along the trunk, holes are provided for the passage of optical fibers out of the trunk onto the branches of the tree. The manner in which the fibers are connected or displayed on the branches varies in the disclosures of the different patents directed to this general type of construction; but the overall structure is substantially the same. All of the patents which utilize this type of structure are directed to artificial Christmas trees in which the fiber optic light systems are permanently attached. Patents representative of such construction are the U.S. patents to Pickering U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,608; Shattan U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,797; Broderick U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,170; Ferguson U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,248; Gutshall U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,863; Harris U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,142; and Kao U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,427.
A different technique for permanently installed fiber optic lighting systems in artificial Christmas trees is described in the United States patents to Carrington U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,118; Pietrantonio U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,056; Cook U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,157; and Zins U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,390. Although the specific structure employed in each of these patents is somewhat different, all of them employ the utilization of a hollow trunk or central core of some type which includes a light source extending in it in the form of an elongated fluorescent tube, or in the form of individual multiple lights. Then fiber optic strands or bundles are connected to the tree branches and extend to receive light from this internal central core. The primary difference between the patents of this group and those mentioned previously is that the optic fibers do not extend into the hollow trunk and downwardly to a common source at the bottom of the tree, but rather extend from the branches to different positions along the length of the trunk, which includes the internal lighted core.
Patents utilizing fiber optic strands for providing illumination in a Christmas tree which are not directed to permanently built-in type systems also have been devised for replacing the standard two-wire multiple light systems which have been in common use. One such patent is the United States patent to Morgan U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,571. This patent is directed to a fiber optic bundle which is connected at one end to a light source designed to be located near the bottom of a tree. Multiple strands then extend in parallel from this source, and are designed to be attached to the tree at various points throughout the tree. This results in a spray-like dispersal of the different optical fibers which comprise the lighting system. It is necessary to individually place each of the fiber ends where desired in the tree, and then remove these fiber ends from the tree when the lighting system is to be removed, much in the same manner as effected with the common multiple light strings which have been in widespread use in the past.
The United States patent to Reed U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,198 is directed to a system for lighting the branches of a Christmas tree by means of a fiber optic bundle which extends from the base of the tree. The fiber optic strands are strung through the branches, or are permanently secured in the branches in an artificial tree.
The United States patent to Colonna U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,728 is directed to a different structure, in which a light source is provided in a ring which is placed over the top of a Christmas tree, either artificial or natural. Fiber optic strands then hang down from the ring and may be arranged along the branches of the tree or strung through the tree from the top to the bottom in order to provide the desired light source.
It is desirable to provide a fiber optic light source which may be used with both natural and artificial Christmas trees, which is not a permanent part of the tree, and which is easy to install and easy to remove from the tree for storage from one season to the next.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved decorative light system.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved decorative light system using fiber optic strands.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved decorative fiber optic Christmas tree lighting system capable of use with both artificial and natural trees.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved removable, easily storable and simple to install fiber optic lighting system for use with Christmas trees and the like.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a removable lighting system for a tree includes a first elongated, generally flexible casing with first and second ends, and having a longitudinal reclosable opening in it extending from the second end a predetermined distance toward the first end. A plurality of flexible optical fibers are located in the casing, and extend from the first end toward the second end of the casing. The fibers are released for arrangement on the branches of a tree upon opening of the reclosable opening in the casing, either partially or through its entire length to allow the fibers extending from the first end of the casing to be arranged outwardly from the opening onto the branches of the tree.